Method for treatment of deposition reactor

Abstract

A method for treating a deposition reactor is disclosed. The method removes or mitigates formation of residue in a gas-phase reactor used to deposit doped metal films, such as aluminum-doped titanium carbide films or aluminum-doped tantalum carbide films. The method includes a step of exposing a reaction chamber to a treatment reactant that mitigates formation of species that lead to residue formation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of treating a deposition reactor, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a metal halide chemistry, selected from the group consisting of titanium halides, tantalum halides, and niobium halides, to a reaction chamber of the deposition reactor; 
 providing a metal CVD precursor selected from the group consisting of organometallic compound chemistry and aluminum CVD compound chemistry to the reaction chamber; 
 forming a deposited doped metal film comprising one or more of B, C, Si N overlying a substrate; 
 optionally removing the substrate; 
 providing a treatment reactant chemistry to the reaction chamber; 
 exposing the reaction chamber to the treatment reactant chemistry to mitigate formation of particles comprising decomposition products of the metal CVD precursor; and 
 purging the reaction chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a treatment reactant chemistry to the reaction chamber includes providing a reactant selected from one or more of the group consisting of hydrogen compounds including one or more hydrogen atoms and compounds including a halogen. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a treatment reactant chemistry comprises providing a compound selected from the group comprising ammonia, hydrogen, silane, methane, silicon hydrides, boron hydrides, halosilanes, haloboranes, alkenes, alkynes, and hydrazine and its derivatives. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a treatment reactant chemistry comprises providing ammonia to the reaction chamber. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a treatment reactant chemistry comprises providing a source of a decomposition product of a compound selected from the group consisting of organometallic compounds and aluminum CVD compounds. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of exposing a treatment reactant to a plasma. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of exposing a treatment reactant to thermal excitation. 
     
     
       8. A method of treating a deposition reactor, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a metal halide chemistry, selected from the group consisting of titanium halides, tantalum halides, and niobium halides, to a reaction chamber for a period of time; 
 after the step of providing a metal halide chemistry to a reaction chamber for a period of time, providing a treatment reactant chemistry to the reaction chamber for a period of time; and 
 during or after providing a treatment reactant chemistry to the reaction chamber for a period of time, providing a metal CVD precursor chemistry to the reaction chamber to form a layer of doped metal, 
 wherein use of the treatment reactant chemistry mitigates particle formation in the reaction chamber. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing a treatment reactant chemistry to the reaction chamber includes providing a reactant chemistry from a source selected from one or more of the group consisting of hydrogen compounds including one or more hydrogen atoms and compounds including a halogen. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing a treatment reactant chemistry comprises providing a compound from a source selected from the group comprising ammonia, hydrogen, silane, methane, silicon hydrides, boron hydrides, halosilanes, haloboranes, alkenes, alkynes, and hydrazine and its derivatives. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing a treatment reactant chemistry comprises providing activated hydrogen to the reaction chamber. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing a treatment reactant chemistry comprises providing a source of a decomposition product of a compound selected from the group consisting of organometallic compounds and aluminum CVD compounds. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of exposing a treatment reactant to a plasma. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of exposing a treatment reactant to thermal excitation.